We will hold our annual Veterans Day program on November 11^th.  Visitors can meet and talk with local aviation combat veterans from WWII, the Cold War era, the Vietnam Conflict, and Iraq and Afghanistan.  Many of these veterans have had experience with the aircraft in the Museum’s collection as either air or ground crew and include:

• James Samar, Gunner/Radio, Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
• Bruce Hayes, Pilot, Grumman F6F Hellcat
• Mark Josel, Pilot, Vought F4U Corsair
• James Farrell, Pilot, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
• Fred Ronson, Pilot, North American B-25 Mitchell
• Bob Lyons, Flight Crew, Boeing B-29 Superfortress
• Paul Giguere, Navigator, Boeing B-29 Superfortress
• Ken Benson, Pilot, McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
• Jim Skiff, Pilot, McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
• William Guenon, Jr., Aircraft Commander, Lockheed C-130E
• Carl Stidsen, Combat Crew Commander, Martin Titan II Missile
• Sam Boit, Pilot, Lockheed P-3 Orion
• SGM Anthony Savino Jr, Flight Engineer/Instructor (CTARNG), CH-47 Chinook & UH-60 Blackhawk
• Todd Wood, Pilot, Sikorsky HH-3E Jolly Green Giant
• Bill Midwood - Grumman F-14A Tomcat (104th FW)
• Connie Nappier - Stearman PT-17 Trainer
• Kayla Bartlett - Senior Airman (104th FW)
• Rick Centore - Bell UH-1 Huey
• Roger Van Dyke - Douglas A4D Skyhawk
  
  A number of the Museum’s military aircraft will be open for visitor entry including the Bell UH-1 “Huey” helicopter, the P-47 Thunderbolt, the F-100 SuperSabre, and the Kaman SH-2F Seasprite helicopter.
  
  Additionally, special presentations throughout the day include U.S. Air Force Academy graduate Todd Wood who will speak about his time with the 20th Special Operations Squadron for the U.S. Air Force; William A. Guenon, Jr. will speak about the Son Tay P.O.W. Raid, and Tony Savino will speak about his deployment moving CH-47s from Connecticut to Kuwait and on to Afghanistan. Click here for the schedule of presentations

All veterans and active military personnel will receive half off the Museum’s regular admission prices between November 1-30, 2012.  The Museum will donate the difference to the Friends of Fisher House Connecticut.  The Fisher House Foundation builds and maintains long term residential facilities near military hospitals nationwide where families of seriously injured soldiers can reside during the long rehabilitation process.  The Friends of Fisher House Connecticut are raising funds to build a Fisher House in West Haven, Connecticut.